Newham is famously home to the “one pound fish” but a much more expensive variety is also on sale in the borough.

Manor Aquatics Centre is selling a £8,000 arowana, a fish which is regarded as auspicious in China.

The two foot long fish, which has a microchip implanted behind its gill to track it, is native to Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore although this one has been specially bred in order to achieve its remarkable colour.

But, as the owner of the Romford Road shop Neil Chavda explains, finding the fish a new home is about far more than just finding someone who is willing to cough up the cash.

“We don’t want any old Tom, Dick or Harry coming to buy it,” he said, “It is like if you have a daughter and a guy wants to marry her, you would want to know what they do and how they are going to support her.

“You need to find things out, especially with specialist fish, including how big the fish tank is and what the filtration system is like. You want to make sure that it is going to go to a home not just to a guy who has got a few quid.”

The fish, which has been nicknamed “Bin” for short as its variety is known as a bintang super red, is nicknamed the dragon fish in China.

In Chinese mythology, it is believed that if you keep an arowana in your house, is he is happy then your business will prosper.

Bin has become quite an attraction to customers visiting the shop, which also stocks much cheaper aromana varieties.

“He is red but every scale is clearly defined in gold.” Neil said. “He looks at you and tries to work out what you are thinking.”

It is not the first time that Manor Aquatics has stocked an unusual (and pricey) animal. A shark used to be up for sale - and was nicknamed Belinda “because she had eyes like Belinda Carlisle”.